Not only did the Jets emerge victoriously in Week 10, but they also got blessed by one of their rookies.
Bless Austin made his NFL debut against the Giants and made an instant impact in his first professional action and appearance on a football field in almost two years. He wasn’t the only rookie who made noise for Gang Green on Sunday, though, as another member of New York’s rookie class made a substantial contribution for the first time this season.
So, where do the neophytes stand after the Jets’ second win of the season? Let’s find out in the latest edition of Jets Wire’s rookie power rankings series.
No. 5: OT Chuma Edoga
Last Week: No. 5
With Kelvin Beachum’s return to the starting lineup, Edoga shifted back to right tackle against the Giants.
The good news is that the USC product didn’t perform as poorly as he did against the Dolphins in Week 9. The bad news is that he didn’t really do much to show substantial improvement upon that performance. That lands him at the bottom of the rankings this week.
Edoga has the raw skillset to get his act together and contribute for the Jets this season. So far, things have simply not come together for him.
No. 4: TE Trevon Wesco
It took more than half of the season, but Trevon Wesco finally broke into an NFL box score against the Giants.
The West Virginia product caught a pass for 15 yards and also took one carry for two yards against New York. Wesco’s numbers aren’t anything to marvel at, but it’s certainly encouraging to see something other than zeroes next to his name.
Who knows? Maybe Wesco’s Week 10 performance is all he needs to get the ball rolling in the right direction.
No. 3: DT Quinnen Williams
Last Week: No. 1
Williams only registered one quarterback hit against the Giants. He did not pick up a single tackle or sack.
The Alabama product’s Week 10 performance is rather disappointing considering the milestone game he had against the Dolphins. He’ll look to get back on track against the Redskins on Sunday.
No. 2: DE Kyle Phillips
Last Week: No. 2
Phillips didn’t do much against the Giants, recording only two tackles.
Henry Anderson has cut into his playing time a bit, but Phillips still sees the field more often than not. Like Quinnen Williams, expect a bounceback performance from the undrafted free agent against a Redskins offensive line that has not exactly played well in 2019.
No. 1: CB Bless Austin
All it took was one game for Bless Austin to not only jump into the power rankings, but claim the top spot.
Since the rankings are done on a weekly basis and not from an overall body of work perspective, Austin is an easy choice for No. 1 with the way he played against the Giants. After taking over for a struggling Nate Hairston at corner, Austin changed the game with two pass breakups, one of which was nearly an interception. He also contributed three tackles on short completions.
Don’t look now, but the Jets might have something with Austin. Yes, it’s only one week’s worth of production, but keep in mind this is a player who many considered to be worthy of a mid-round draft pick before his knee failed him twice at Rutgers.
The potential for Austin to be an impact contributor is certainly there. Considering the current state of New York’s secondary, he’ll have a chance to prove his worth down the stretch.
